Display and dispensing bin

ABSTRACT

Display, storage and dispensing rack for packages having a parallelogram shape and laterally moveable and adjustable flanged partitioning elements to enclose packages of any selected size in a stack, the partitioning elements having extending diagonally disposed points insertable in oppositely paired upper and lower grooves to secure the partitioning elements.

United States Patent Cook July 10, 1973 [54] DISPLAY AND DISPENSING BINFOREIGN PATENTS 0R APPLICATIONS lnvenm" 1623 17th 969,871 9/1964 GreatBritain 312 42 Belleville, lll. 62220 22 Filed; July 29, 1971 PrimaryExaminer-James C. Mitchell Attorney-Sol B. Wiczer [21] Appl. No.:167,153

[57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl 312/42, 211/49 D Display, storage anddispensing rack for packages hav- [51] Int. Cl. A47f 1/00 ing aparallelogram shape and laterally moveable and [58] Field of Search312/42; 211/184, adjustable flanged partitioning elements to enclose 21[[49 D; 108/60, 61 packages of any selected size in a stack, thepartitioning elements having extending diagonally disposed points [56]References Cited insertable in oppositely paired upper and lower groovesUNITED STATES PATENTS to secure the partitioning elements.

l,464,343 8/1923 Scherer 312/42 9 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures DISPLAY ANDDISPENSING BIN This invention relates to a display, storage anddispensing bin or rack in which uniformly shaped packages are supportedfor vending display in a plurality of stacks, each separated by apartition; and particularly to a parallelogram shaped rack havinggrooved ends and parallelogram-shaped, manually moveable and emplaceablepartitions supported therein to easily adjust the lateral positions ofthe partitions to accommodate the varied sizes of the packages to bedisplayed and dispensed therefrom.

In prior constructions of storage or display racks or bins in whichpackaged small unit commodities such as small rectangular packages orcylinders i.e., bottles, cans, cigarette or dye packages, batteries orother common hardware, electrical, food or medicinal packages, aremounted for display and storage on a counter or supported against a wallfor visible display for sale of the commodity, the need for use ofpartitioning elements movably supported and capable of lateraladjustment has been proposed. However, these have been difficult to moveor emplace in selected lateral positions as needed to quicklyaccommodate various sized packages and in firmly secured positionallowing easy movement. The prior partitioning elements tended totighten and to jam or stick, resisting easy removal and replacement toadjusted lateral positions or sometimes the support was so loose andinsecure as to fail in its purpose or to require frequent reassembly.

According to the present invention a parallelogramshaped rack, bin orsimilar display and dispensing cabinet is provided, having easilyremoveable and insertable parallelogram-shaped partitioning elementssupported between aligned pairs of upper and lower grooves, in the rack.The partitioning elements themselves have opposite extending points,preferably formed as ends of front to rear tapers at their upper andlower ends. These tapered partition ends modify the overallconfiguration of the partition to a parallelogram, the acute angularcorners allowing easy removal and support of the parallelogram in theupper and lower aligned grooves of the rack.

Consequently, a primary object of this dispensing and display rack is toprovide a parallelogram-shaped rack having upper and lower aligned pairsof grooves in which are supported opposite diagonally extending ends ofa partitioning element, including particularly the peaked acute angularcomers, with a vertical side of the partitioning elements lying againstthe rear vertical wall of the rack. The partitioning element may furtherbe fitted at its forward edge with flat enclosing walls or flangesextending laterally, so that pairs of the lateral enclosing walls,between partitioning elements, form a partial enclosure against which atier of packages bottles, cans or the likemay be mounted in a stack.

The invention is further described in relation to the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 shows in perspective a rectangular bin or rack with moveablepartitioning elements mounted therein; and

FIG. 2 is a side elevation in section showing the mounting of one of thepartitioning elements in the bin taken on the line 2 2 of FIG. 1.

As shown in the drawing, a parallelogram-shaped bin or rack 10, has anupper slanted supporting wall 12 and a lower slanted supporting wall 14.End walls 16 and 18 may be mounted thereon at any selected lateraldistance. However, the bin may be indefinitely extended laterally toform a portion of a shelf in a store in which are mounted packagedcommodities for display or sale. The rack 10 will usually be amoderately sized open faced box mountable on the store counter, or itmay be in the form of a display rack with supporting legs 52 supportingthe rack upright to be disposed in any part of the store. The rack 10has a series of grooves 22 extending across the upper end 26 and aseries of grooves 20 at the lower end 24. The front end 26 of the rackhas both support elements 24 and 26 lying in a forward plane extendingto a plane 46 at the rear; and the grooves 20 and 22 pass angularlydownward directly from the front edge to the rear and are laterallyspaced at regular intervals such as one-fourth to one-half inch, largeror smaller, as may be useful for the purpose, to suitably supportslanting ends 30 and 32 of partitioning elements 28.

The grooves 20 and 22 are shown to be rectangularly shaped, but they maybe half rounded or triangularly shaped as desired for easier slidingpartition support. The ends 30 and 32 of the partitioning elements 28are shaped usually to the same groove shape or configuration for easysliding movement therein. The upper end 30 of a partitioning element 28will be noted to be tapered downward from the front to the rear; thatis, from an upwardly extending point 42 downward to a lower innerpartition level 44. Similarly the lower end 32 of the partitioningelement 28 tapers upwardly from the lowermost point 38 disposed at therear of the partition to an upper level 40 to the front partition edge34. The scope of the slanted ends 30 and 32 may be substantial, usually10 to 20 such as about 15. While the shape of the partition wall 28appears as a parallelogram, the angle of the upper and lower ends 30 and32 are not necessarily exactly the same, and may vary slightly, but notenough to exceed the depth of a groove 20 and 22 whereby ends fit in thegrooves loosely for easy removal and emplacement and the parallelogramshape is approximate. The upper and lower points 42 and 38 of the endsextend diagonally upward and downward, and grooves 20 and 22 are at adepth such that the lowermost point 38 of the tapered end 32 will liewell and deeply within the groove 20. In the upper end of the partition28, the upward extending tip 42 will correspondingly be well and deeplywithin the forward end of a groove 22.

Thus, while the upper and lower tapered ends 30 and 32 of the partition28 are angulaly beveled and may be approximately parallel to each otherto impart a parallelogram shape to the side of the partition 28, theupper and lower extending points 38 and 42 may lie deeper within thegrooves 20 and 22 than the rest of the upwardly and downwardly slantedends 30 and 32, which will lie more shallowly within the grooves,providing a firm support at both partition ends while allowing most easyemplacement and removal of a partition.

In mounted position of the partitioning element 28, the forward end 34is supported vertically between the rack top 12 and rack bottom 14 ofthe bin 10 by the extending points 38 and 42 secured within grooves 20and 22, as shown. The rear end 36 of the partition 28 also is supportedby lying vertically against a back wall 46 of the bin 10. In this mannerthe partition in mounted position in the bin as shown in FIG. 2 issupported between the back 36 against the wall 46 and by both endingpoints 38 and 42, bottom and top of the partition, lying within grooves20 and 22. Where the bin is part of or forms shelves upon a normalbuilding wall, the extra rear bin wall 46 may be omitted and the top 12and bottom 14 may be supported directly against a building wallincluding the vertical wall 36 of a partition 28, thus substituting forthe supporting effect of an extra bin wall 46.

The forward end 34 of each partition has a flange 48 so that adjacentflanges 48 extending toward each other between adjacent partitioningelements 28 form a partial enclosure for a tier of packages 50 supportedbetween adjacent partitioning walls 28 allowing ready dispensing fromthe bottom of the stack of packages 50, one package element at a time.Moreover, it will be noted that the stacked packages 50 lie within arectangular bin space formed between the partitioning elements 28 ateach side, the vertically supported flanges 48 at the front, the backwall 46 completing the rectangular space enclosure. With thatconstruction the packages 50 also serve to provide some support tomaintain the partitioning elements and flanges vertical, preventing anysagging or canting of a partitioning element forward from its emplacedposition.

In use, a partitioning element 28 may be canted forward so that itsupper and lower ends 30 and 32 are rotated to a position and heldsubstantially parallel to the lower and upper grooves and 22, as shownin the dotted line position of FIG. 2. This allows easy inserting of thepartitioning element 28 with the lower tip 38 of the lower edge 32 inposition to engage groove 40, passing the partition inward of the binsubstantially to contact the rear wall 46 of the bin, and then, bylowering of the partitioning end 38 into the groove 20, and slightlyangularly rotating the partitioning element 28, the partitioning wall istwisted from the dotted line position of FIG. 2 to the full insertedline position of FIG. 2. In the inserted position, the upper tip 42 ofthe upper end then lies within groove 22 and lower tip 38 lies withingroove 20 to complete upright support, the inner end 36 of the partitionlying parallel to and against the back wall 46, deriving steadyingsupport therefrom as well. ln that manner the partition is easilyinserted without friction and is firmly supported by the diagonallyopposite extending points 38 and 42 within the grooves 20 and 22 andstabilized by the back edge 36 lying against the back wall 46. Moreover,with the bin space filled with packages 50, these also assert astabilizing effect upon the stability of the inserted partition.

As thus described, the parallelogrammed partitioning elements are firmlyinserted within aligned pairs of grooves for easy mounting in the bin,and are easily dismounted therefrom by a forward twisting or rotatingmotion, whereby the tapered ends 38 and 42 are easily supported withinor removed from the grooves with little frictional resistance tohandling. Obviously, as shown, the partition elements can be arrangedand rearranged in selected spacing laterally within any pair of groovesdesired. Thus, stacks of various sizes can be formed by any selectedlateral disposition of the partitioning within the bin.

Certain modifications will occur to those skilled in the art. Asindicated, the back wall 46, where the unit is to be mounted against abuilding wall, may be omitted but usually is present. The entireassembly may be supported by brackets or may be part of a largershelving arrangement for other commodities in a store where the bin maybe supported independently on legs for vending. Again, the bin, asshown, may be modified to become part of a vending machine for coinoperation with supply of additional structural features known in theart. It may be supported within an oven for dispensing warmed packagesor specially heated packages or within a refrigerating box for cold orfrozen packages. Moreover, the unit may be made of metal paneling, orwood, or plastic, or the like, attractively colored and marked withindicia for special products for optimum utility and attractiveness forsale and easy handling.

The parallelogram-shaped rack or bin offers numerous advantages. Theslanted bottom tends to supply additional stability to the verticalcolumn of packages so that even where the packages very loosely fit inthe bin, they do not tend to bind, to fall out, or sideways or to becomedisarrayed as a column, but are easily dispensed from beneath the openportion of the laterally extending flanges sized to accommodate removalof only one, or possibly two, packages at a time. This is an importantadvantage since packages, bottles or the like, tend to vary in shape ascubical, ovate, round, etc., and the slanted bottom, as indicated,supplies that extra stable dispensing support. Accordingly, it will beapparent that the parallelogram-shaped rack, and the substantiallyparallelogram partitions firmly retained and easily inserted withlateral adjustmemt are an improved construction for a dispensing rack orbin.

Accordingly, it is intended that the description herein be regarded asexemplary and not limiting except as specifically defined in the claimsappended hereto.

What is claimed is:

l. A display, storage and dispensing rack having an upper closure andlower supporting elements, both of said elements 1 being laterallyhorizontal extending members for enclosing packaged commodities to bedispensed therefrom, said upper closure and lower supporting membersbeing canted upward from rear to front at an angle of about 10 to 20, aseries of laterally corresponding spaced grooves in the upper surface ofsaid supporting element and in the lower surface of the closure elementextending between front and rear, vertical partitioning elementssupported between a pair of said corresponding upper and lower grooveslaterally spaced each to form supporting side walls for vertical stacksof commodities between partitioning elements, said partitioning elementshaving their upper and lower ends angularly tapered to substantiallycorrespond to the canted closure and support members.

2. A display, storage and dispensing rack as defined in claim 1 whereinsaid partitioning elements have parallel vertical edges joined byparallel tapering ends forming a parallelogram having upper and lowerdiagonally disposed point corners comprising acute angles, both saidupper and lower closure and support elements having grooves aligned withrespect to each other and extending laterally along the horizontalsurfaces thereof, whereby at least said diagonally opposite extendingpoints of each tapering end lies within an upper and lower alignedgroove.

3. Display, storage and dispensing rack as defined in claim 1 whereinsaid upper closure element is parallel to said lower support element,said elements having their front and rear edges disposed in planescommon to both elements, said rack having a wall in the rear plane, thevertical back edge of each partitioning element lying within said rearplane and bearing against said wall to provide additional support forthe partitions in groove-engaged position of said points.

4. Display, storage and dispensing rack as defined in claim 3 whereinthe angle of said taper is about 5. Display, storage and dispensing rackas defined in claim 1 wherein the grooves are disposed in a series ineach surface laterally separated a distance of about one-fourth toone-half inches.

6. Display, storage and dispensing rack as defined in claim 3 whereinsaid partitioning elements have flanges mounted across their forwardedges and extending vertically therealong, terminating at lower andupper points substantially above and below the respective levels of thelower and upper support elements, said flanges extending laterally onboth sides of each partition a substantial distance toward but less thanabout one-half the normal distance between the lateral disposition ofpartitions, whereby to form in a plane of the front edges of saidsupport elements a substantial closure of said rack to enclose packagesin a stack between a pair of adjacent partitioning elements.

7. Display, storage and dispensing rack as defined in claim 1 whereinsaid closure and support elements have front and rear edges disposed inplanes common to both elements, said rack having a wall in the rearplane, the vertical back edge of each partitioning element lying withinsaid rear plane and bearing against said wall to provide additionalsupport for the partitions in groove-engaged position of said points,the upper and lower diagonally opposite disposed points of saidpartitioning elements comprising acute angles with said tapering upperand lower ends whereby said partitioning elements have a parallelogramshape corresponding in shape with said rack, the tapers of upper andlower ends of a partition being at a substantial angle to its verticalsides whereby diagonally opposite extending points each lie within anupper and lower aligned groove.

8. The rack as defined in claim 7 having legs at forward edges of eachend, each of a height to support the said upwardly tapered lower surfaceof said rack.

9. A display, storage and dispensing rack comprising upper and lowerparallel horizontal support elements secured between vertical endsangularly forming a parallelogram in end section, both said upper andlower support elements having grooves aligned with respect to each otherand extending laterally along the horizontal surfaces thereof, aplurality of partitioning elements each mounted for support between analigned pair of upper and lower grooves, each partitioning elementhaving diagonally disposed upper and lower extending points each lyingin a respective upper and lower groove of an aligned pair, verticallysupporting a partitioning element therebetween.

1. A display, storage and dispensing rack having an upper closure andlower supporting elements, both of said elements being laterallyhorizontal extending members for enclosing packaged commodities to bedispensed therefrom, said upper closure and lower supporting membersbeing canted upward from rear to front at an angle of about 10 to 20*, aseries of laterally corresponding spaced grooves in the upper surface ofsaid supporting element and in the lower surface of the closure elementextending between front and rear, vertical partitioning elementssupported between a pair of said corresponding upper and lower grooveslaterally spaced each to form supporting side walls for vertical stacksof commodities between partitioning elements, said partitioning elementshaving their upper and lower ends angularly tapered to substantiallycorrespond to the canted closure and support members.
 2. A display,storage and dispensing rack as defined in claim 1 wherein saidpartitioning elements have parallel vertical edges joined by paralleltapering ends forming a parallelogram having upper and lower diagonallydisposed point corners comprising acute angles, both said upper andlower closure and support elements having grooves aligned with respectto each other and extending laterally along the horizontal surfacesthereof, whereby at least said diagonally opposite extending points ofeach tapering end lies within an upper and lower aligned groove. 3.Display, storage and dispensing rack as defined in claim 1 wherein saidupper closure element is parallel to said lower support element, saidelements having their front and rear edges disposed in planes common toboth elements, said rack having a wall in the rear plane, the verticalback edge of each partitioning element lying within said rear plane andbearing against said wall to provide additional support for thepartitions in groove-engaged position of said points.
 4. Display,storage and dispensing rack as defined in claim 3 wherein the angle ofsaid taper is about 15*.
 5. Display, storage and dispensing rack asdefined in claim 1 wherein the grooves are disposed in a series in eachsurface laterally separated a distance of about one-fourth to one-halfinches.
 6. Display, storage and dispensing rack as defined in claim 3wherein said partitioning elements have flanges mounted across theirforward edges and extending vertically therealong, terminating at lowerand upper points substantially above and below the respective levels ofthe lower and upper support elements, said flanges extending laterallyon both sides of each partition a substantial distance toward but lessthan about one-half the normal distance between the lateral dispositionof partitions, whereby to form in a plane of the front edges of saidsupport elements a substantial closure of said rack to enclose packagesin a stack between a pair of adjacent partitioning elements.
 7. Display,storage and dispensing rack as defined in claim 1 wherein said closureand support elements have front and rear edgEs disposed in planes commonto both elements, said rack having a wall in the rear plane, thevertical back edge of each partitioning element lying within said rearplane and bearing against said wall to provide additional support forthe partitions in groove-engaged position of said points, the upper andlower diagonally opposite disposed points of said partitioning elementscomprising acute angles with said tapering upper and lower ends wherebysaid partitioning elements have a parallelogram shape corresponding inshape with said rack, the tapers of upper and lower ends of a partitionbeing at a substantial angle to its vertical sides whereby diagonallyopposite extending points each lie within an upper and lower alignedgroove.
 8. The rack as defined in claim 7 having legs at forward edgesof each end, each of a height to support the said upwardly tapered lowersurface of said rack.
 9. A display, storage and dispensing rackcomprising upper and lower parallel horizontal support elements securedbetween vertical ends angularly forming a parallelogram in end section,both said upper and lower support elements having grooves aligned withrespect to each other and extending laterally along the horizontalsurfaces thereof, a plurality of partitioning elements each mounted forsupport between an aligned pair of upper and lower grooves, eachpartitioning element having diagonally disposed upper and lowerextending points each lying in a respective upper and lower groove of analigned pair, vertically supporting a partitioning element therebetween.